Niklaus Schmidt
Biography For the majority of Kaede's life, he was bred more than raised, fixed in canine form for fourteen years to the the cold pragmatism of his parents. To anyone else, the Akiyama family was just one of a number of immigrant families trying to make ends meet in the late 1990's. Crammed into a run down shack with a mangy mutt that seamed more feral then domesticated, Ichiro and Hana Aikyama capitalized on what most of the world would have avoided. The first instance that Hana had caught Kaede morphing into a shaggy-haired puppy at six years old was the last time he remembered being human. While a couple of junkies more concerned with buying pills then kibble should've been suspicious, no one though to question the Akiyama's main source of income. As dogfighting was a popular local sport and oftentimes the only means of getting fast cash, Kaede leaned early on that he didn't have to be a lamb to be sacrificial. After a particularly brutal match landed Kaede's half-head carcass in a kennel full of dogs waiting to be put down, escape became possible on two unsteady legs and a form he was less familiar with then one covered in fur. Unused to being human, Kaede struggled with his shaky grasp, leading to abrupt, unpredictable transfomration that he managed to conceal as a homeless youth or stray dog. Self-destructive and volatile, Kaede was exactly the type of stray dog that twin brothers Aiden and Lucas Williams would love. The fifteen year old brothers were the first to approach the feral dog without a taser or muzzle. Kaede found a new home and a new life with Aiden and Lucas. He was known as Scout, the moody German Shepard, but over the course of two years, the boys transformed the volatile shepard into a good dog. With a new lease on life, Kaede decided to show himself - his unsteady human self - to the brothers. Adrian and Lucas were ecstatic to find that their pet dog was in fact a mutant who could assume any animalistic shape he wished. When Kaede came out to their parents, however, it was a different story. They immediately called the police and had him arrested. The police delivered him to Charles Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters and from then on, he's been there. Though he wouldn't say it's been all bad. He's learning how to control his powers, even though normal human mannerisms are difficult for him at times and he'd rather walk around on four legs rather then two. Even still, he's getting an education and has actual friends now. Abilities THERIANTHROPY - Having spent the better part of his life on four legs, Kade's control over his abilities as an animal is often unsurprisingly much better then his control of a human. However, due to the prolonged abuse of his powers, Kade avoids any and all canine forms, finding his capacity and need to revert back severly reduced the longer he maintains them. Conditionally, he is more comfortable and powerful as a dog, despite his reluctance to be one. Currently, Kade's preferred form is that of a cats, finding it to be the easiest and most unassuming form, however he has been known to occasionally turn into a grizzly bear when his human form isn't intimidation enough. Trivia * Kade changed his name in order to disaffiliate himself with his parents. After what the did to him, he wanted nothing to do with them. * Kade's clothing varies. At times he is wearing nothing but sweatpants. Due to the frequent application of his mutation, he finds clothing restrictive and unnecessary. Other times, when posing as a homeless youth, he is found in old pants, shoes, and a shirt covered in dirt.